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“Raven.” Once I realise he isn’t going to drop it, I sigh and shake his hand. His palms are warm but dry and slightly calloused. A little zing of electricity shoots through my hand and up my arm. I pull away.
“Ah, the new chick. I’ve heard all about you.”
“Really?” I raise an eyebrow. It’s not possible. No one knows all - or even anything - about me. “From whom?”
“Ah, I’m sworn to secrecy on pain of death. He’d kick my ass if I told you his name,” he replies with a twinkle. I shit you not, his eyes twinkle. I thought that was just a movie special effect. But obviously he’s given away who it is that’s been talking about me: the granite mountain, Mr Lennox.
“And what has he-who-must-not-be-named been saying about me then, huh?” He smiles at my Harry Potter reference, and I give him bonus points for that.
“Well-,” He draws out the final letters of the word like he’s thinking of where to begin, a mischievous gleam in his eye. “Aside from the obvious - that you’re absolutely gorgeous and smokin’ hot - he said you had brains and beauty, and that you’re absolutely hopeless at reading a map... Oh, and you’re a legacy student because your surname is Deighton. As in THE Deighton.” The last bit was tagged on, oh-so-casually, at the end there but I could tell from his intense stare that he was waiting for me to confirm or deny the rumour.
I was somewhat impressed. Not by the generic blah compliments, but by the fact that the mountain had managed to find out my surname, legacy status, and lineage in just a few hours. Of course, none of that told the whole story - or the real story - but I smiled up at the blonde beach babe in front of me.
“You can tell your informant that that’s not bad work for a couple of hours. Not entirely accurate information, though. That’s the trouble with not getting the scope straight from the source itself. What I want to know is what you’ll be telling him about me?”
Beachboy smiles and twin dimples appear on either side of his cheeks. Okay, so he’s really, really cute. His smile’s infectious. ‘He could be a very pretty distraction,’ I think to myself.
“Obviously I’m going to confirm what he said, but I’ll tell him he hasn’t done you anywhere near enough justice. I’m going to tell him you’re scary as shit with a knife, but that it’s really fucking sexy too. And I’m going to brag that, although he thinks he’s taking you out on Saturday, you’re actually going out with me.”
“To bad I don’t go out with boys whose names I don’t know, and who don’t actually ask me out then isn’t it?” I start to pack up, putting the knives back into the glass cabinet and slipping my feet back into my shoes.
“I’m Thorn, friends call me Thor. Will you, Raven, please do me the honour of going out with me on Saturday?” It all comes out in a massive rush of one breath, and I have to bite back my smile. I really like this guy. He has a good energy that lifts those around him. “There’s a new ice cream place opened on the beach, and I’m desperate to try it. I’ll even buy you a three scoop.” He winks, and I laugh.
“Fine Thorn, friends call you Thor, you may take me out for ice cream on Saturday. But I want toppings too!” I sling my bag over my shoulder and start to head towards the door. I know the bell’s going to go any minute and I have to head to the main hall for assembly.
“Ah, well, that might be a problem,” he pauses dramatically with a mock-serious look, “where do you stand on nuts?”
“On an ice cream? Sacrilege! On other things? Delicious.” I toss him a flirty wink as I leave, and smile at his groan.
“Be ready at 7! And wear beachy shit!” he calls out, and I’m gone, a smile still on my face and a spring in my step.
Okay, so I’m excited to go out on a date with Thorn. He’s a pretty distraction like I said. I may be here for revenge, but I need to keep up appearances, and dating is a regular school activity. Being with him will allow me some cover, I reason to myself. Well, that’s my excuse, and I’m sticking to it!
Lizzie’s letter
Oh my goodness! I know I said I was here to work and not get distracted Charlotte, but already my resolve is wavering. Sure there are a lot of handsome guys here at West Prep, but none have my pulse racing as quickly as this one guy.
The guy is stacked and smoking hot! Not my usual type - probably more yours to be honest - he’s tall, dark and brooding. I can’t even call him handsome, it wouldn’t do him justice! He’s absolutely covered in tattoos despite only just turning 16 (how?!?), and he has a low gravelly growly voice that makes him sound so much older than his years. That voice makes me tingle all over. He’s ferocious when he’s angry and so tall it’s intimidating...but there’s something else there too. There’s a sadness, or maybe I should say a darkness, in him that makes me want to drag him out into the light with me.
It sounds silly, I know. I’ve only been tutoring him for a couple of hours a week for the past month or so, but it’s become one of the highlights of my week when I get to spend time alone with him.
Don’t get me wrong, his English ability is poor, so I have my work cut out, but there’s something about the way he towers over me and commands the desk space between us that has me wanting to get to know him better. I know he’s a bit of a dick when he’s around everyone else, but when we’re alone, he’s different. He makes me laugh, and he doesn’t treat me like dirt. Not like a lot of the other kids here.
I’m crushing hard sis!
You’d be so proud of me! I’ve been invited to a party by some of the girls in my maths class, and I’m actually going to go. I thought about declining, but I’m kind of hoping that he’ll be there. I don’t know why, it’s not like I’d be brave enough to talk to him, not like you, but he’s fast becoming an addiction I can’t fight. I just want to see him outside of our study cocoon. I really hope he’s there!
I wish you were here Charl, I have no idea what to wear for a party or how to go about talking to him if he’s there. We usually just talk about school work, and I can’t exactly go up to him at a party to ask how his homework is going, can I!? Oh god, I’m going to be a total disaster.
I love you. You are being good, aren’t you?
Your Busy Lizzie x
